To the Surface
by catwoman981
Summary: Two years after surviving Titanic, Rose Dawson is trying to survive with hopes of becoming an actress while falling in love with rich boy Sam Calvert and trying to never let go...bad summary:
1. Prologue

**To The Surface: The Story Continues**

**Summary: **This is the story of Rose Dawson from after Titanic to her meeting with Brock Lovett.

**Characters**: **Rose Dawson **(the only main Titanic character really), **Sam Calvert** (Rose's love interest), **Mary Harrison** (Rose' best friend), **Linda Usnavi** (Rose's friend), **Pearl Manning** (Rose's friend), **Charles and Vivian Calvert** (Derek's parents), **Gertrude Arvad** (Rose's frienemy/Sam's girlfriend), **John, Robert and Paul Calvert** (Sam's older brothers), **George Marshall** (Gertrude's evil uncle and main bad guy),** Reginald Clemons** (an African American boy who loves Rose), **Maggie Clemons** (Reginald's sister who befriends Rose), **Ruth Bukater **(Rose's mother who makes a brief appearence). There are other characters but these are the MAIN characters!

**Genre: **Romance/Adventure

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **This is my telling of how Rose lived after losing Jack in Titanic. I own nothing except my own characters. All rights belong to James Cameron.

**A/N: **I know, in the movie, they called Rose's husband "Calvert" but I'm giving him a first name. Here is how I picture Sam Calvert to look AND sound like: .com/watch?v=O7nj37ZxeJs (yes, thats River Phoenix in Dark Blood. Thats MY Calvert!)

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue:<strong>

October 10, 1967-Boston, MA

"Grandma? Its time," Lauren said, peaking her head into the hospital room where he grandfather, Sam Calvert, was staying.

"I'm not leaving him. Tell your mother and uncles to go if they want. I'm staying," Rose told, holding Calvert's hand to her face. She knew her time with him would end very soon. He had been sick for so long. She wanted his suffering to end. But, at the same, she couldn't bare to let him go. She hadn't felt pain like this since Jack on Titanic.

"Well, they won't leave if you won't," Lauren said.

"Good. They shouldn't. He was their father. He was a good man," Rose explained.

Lauren smiled and shut the door quietly. Rose moved her lips to Calvert's ear.

"You rest now, love. Its been such a tough year. You've been so strong for me and the kids. David, Joan and Thomas have been wonderful, haven't they? They love you so much. The grandkids love you too. Lauren, Steven, Mikey, Lizzy and Max. They adore you, espiecially Lizzy. She looks just like David. Of course you know that. They both have your eyes. You know, there was something...someone about Titanic I never told you about. His name was-"

"Mom?" Rose turned to see Joan in the doorway. "Are you talking to dad?"

"Yes, dear. He may be out but he can still hear," Rose told.

Joan, David, Thomas, Laureen and Steven came into the room. Lauren was David's oldest child and Rose's oldest grandchild at age seventeen. Steven was fifteen and Joan's youngest child (Rose's third grandchild).

"Just like dad...ears like a hawk," David laughed.

"What you telling him about Titanic, mom?" Thomas asked.

"Oh, nothing, Tommy," Rose said.

They stood around Calvert's bed and Rose kissed his cheek.

"The doctor will be in soon. Once he does what he needs to do, it'll be over," David said. Calvert had been on life support for two weeks now. It was a hard decision on weather to pull the plug or not. The decision was finally made.

"Hey, mom...why don't you tell Lauren and Steven how you and dad met?" David suggested in damage the silence.

"I love that story!" Thomas exclaimed.

"I've never heard how you and grandpa met. I know how my mom and dad met...at college," Steven said.

"Yes, we did. At an art history class at Phoenix Univesity. Good times," Joan said, reflecting on how she and Jason, her husband, met.

Rose smiled. It brought her peace to know that her children were living filling lives. She herself felt her life was fulfilling. But, with Calvert dying, she felt her whole world ending. She had been with his man for about thirty years.

"Are you ready to go back to New York City?" David asked.

"I met Sam about two years after I survived Titanic..."

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter 1: Factory Girl

**Chapter 1: Factory Girl**

I had never dreamt I would have ended up where I was. It was like a dream. There was no beginning and no end. The world I knew before was gone. My mother. Cal. Lovejoy. Mr. Andrews. Jack. I first set out to New York as a rich, social girl but ended up coming as a penniless, lonely girl. It took me a year to get my life back in order. I found a job at Toc & Tony's, a factory for women clothes. Yes, I was a seamstress, the very occupation my mother would've rather seen me drown in the Atlantic Ocean than see me do. Luckily, my mother was out of my life for good. Luckily, I was begining to live again.

"DAWSON!" I heard Big Helga yelling down the hallway. She was Toc & Tony's supervisor. She was mean and cruel but I felt sorry for her. I had heard she was orphaned as a child. I felt like an orphan myself, waiting to be loved. Today would be my day. "DAWSON! WHERE IN THE NAME OF GREAT SCOT ARE YOU?"

I rose up from my chair and spinning needle.

"I'm right here."

Big Helga grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hallway. We entered the very small elevator and went up three floors. After hearing about the Triangle Factory Fire in 1911, I always wondered if working here was worth maybe burning alive. It wouldn't be. No job is worth it. Big Helga brought me into her office. There, a gentleman was sitting, holding his hat.

"Here she is, Mr. Calvert. One of the finest seamstresses we have," Big Helga said, sitting at her desk. "Close the door, Dawson."

I shut the door and stood right by it. The gentleman turned around and smiled. He looked friendly. I was waiting for him to speak to me, but he just turned his head back around to look at Big Helga. Big Helga used her finger to signal me over to the desk.

"Mr. Calvert, this is Rose Dawson. She's worked here a year now and has produced some of our best dresses. I know you'll be pleased with her. Rose, this is Charles Calvert, founder of Calvert Enterprises. He's the fourth richest man in New York-"

"Third richest, almost second," Mr. Calvert said.

"I apologize, Mr. Calvert. Anywho, his eldest daughter, Susan, is getting married and you, Rose, are to make her wedding dress," Big Helga finished.

I looked her and Mr. Calvert. I was very nervous about this task.

"I am not quite sure what to make," I spoke up.

Mr. Calvert laughed. "The dress is an original design. Susan designed it herself. You just have to make it."

I stood in silence. The dress they wanted me to make had never been made before and this was a very special event. I remembered when my mother hired the seamstress for my dress when I was to have married Cal. Now I know what she was feeling. I had to turn this down. No money in the world could make me do this.

"You know, Rose, Helga has told that you want to be an actress. Is this true?" Mr. Calvert asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Have you auditioned for anything?" Mr. Calvert asked.

"Everything. Everytime a new audition comes along for anything, I try," I stated.

Mr. Calvert smirked.

"Have you won any roles?"

I took a deep breath. "No, nothing yet. I'm new to acting, so finding roles is hard."

Mr. Calvert looked at Helga, and looked back at me.

"Tell you what, Rose...you make Susan's dress and I can help put your name at the Beaumont Theatre in Los Angeles. You will surely get roles there that way," Mr. Calvert.

"How can you do that, don't mind me asking," I asked.

"Just trust me, Rose. That theatre wouldn't be there if it wasn't for the Calvert family. They can't deny you with my help," Mr. Calvert said.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Calvert. But, I want to make it on my own. I don't need charity from you," I replied.

Mr. Calvert and Helga laughed at me.

"Rose, Rose! Its not charity. You're earning it with your work. I can give you money instead if you'd like. No harm done," Mr. Calvert assured me.

I had to think for a moment. Acting was my dream but I needed to achieve it on my own. Jack became an artist on his own with no one's help. If he could become an artist on his own, I could surely become an actress on my own. For now, I was a seamstress.

"I would prefer the money. Everyday people get paid in cash. So will I," I decided.

Mr. Calvert smiled and rose from his seat.

"Deal! I will have you come over tomorrow at around 3 o'clock. I will be out of town on business but Susan and my youngest son will be there," Mr. Calvert told.

"Alright then," I said.

* * *

><p>I lived with my two friends from the factory, Mary and Pearl. I told them about the dress I had to make for Susan Calvert.<p>

"I cannot believe you are making the dress for Susan Calvert. Every seamstress in New York would kill to have that job!" Pearl said.

"And also, the richer the customer, the bigger the money," Mary said.

"I don't want money. I want to act, to express myself," I told.

"The why didn't you take Calvert up on the theatre deal instead, Rose?" Pearl asked.

I smiled.

"I am seamstress and get paid as a seamstress. My acting career will happen someday and I'll make money doing that. I have to patience. I'll know when the time is right," I explained.

Pearl and Mary didn't answer but I knew they thought I was crazy.

I went to bed that night with my heart racing. I was so nervous about meeting Susan and the youngest Calvert son...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	3. Chapter 2: Sam Calvert

**Chapter Two: Sam Calvert**

_A/N: Sorry for any typo errors. I was typing this very fast!_

* * *

><p>It took me a long time to find the Calvert mansion. It was 40 miles from New York City and I felt alone and afraid. I had to meet with Susan to see the design of her wedding dress. From what I've heard, she was a very lovely woman. I would be alone with her and her brother. My good friend, Reginald Clemens, drove me to the mansion. He was a nice black man from Georgia who had left the peach state for New York for better opportunities. He lived in the same building I did.<p>

"Are you nervous, Miss Rose?" Reginald asked.

"A little, Reginald. You would think I'd be used to meeting with rich people by now. It was only comfortable when I was one of them. Not now," I said.

"Then just pretend you're one of them! No one is better than anyone else. One day, everyone will see that," Reginald told me.

He was such a hopeful dreamer. He was the first person of African heritage I had ever spoken to in my life. Being a rich, white socialite, African Americans were very alien and peculiar to me. After meeting Reginald and his sister, Maggie, I was angry that my society kept me from knowing people like them for so long. I hoped that, one day, this would all end.

When we pulled up to the mansion, Reginald ran from the driver's seat to the back seat and opened the door for me. He supported me out, and kissed my hand in a goodbye manner.

"Are you coming in with me?" I asked.

"I would love to, Miss Rose, but that wouldn't be appropriate for a man like me. I wouldn't be welcomed. But you will be terrific," Reginald said.

I smiled at him and he sat back in the driver's seat and drove off.

I made my way to the Calvert Mansion door. I knocked about five times before the butler came to answer the door. He was tall man around forty something. His black suit was one of the finest I had ever seen. He wore a long Lincoln hat and had a dashing mustache.

"Hello. May I help you?" the Butler asked.

"Yes, my name is Rose Dawson. I'm here to meet with Susan Calvert about her wedding dress," I said.

"Oh, yes. Miss. Dawson, we were expecting you. My apologies. Come on in," the Butler told me.

I walked in and, as the Butler closed the door, I heard running footsteps. Out of nowhere, a pretty, slender blonde girl came running towards.

"Aw! You're here! You're here!" the girl shouted in a high and sporadic voice. "You're Rose, right?"

"Rose Dawson? Yes I am."

"Oh that's fantastic! I'm Susan! Its Susan Calvert for now, but in four weeks, it will be Susan MacMurray!"

I didn't know what to say. Luckily, Susan spoke again before I could and grabbed my hand.

"Anyways, I can't wait for you to see my dress you'll be making! Its to die for," Susan said as we talked to the library. "I designed it myself and Gerald will likes the design and-"

"Gerald?" I asked.

"Oh I'm sorry, Gerald MacMurray, my fiancée. We're having a little issues because his father and my family is Catholic and want a Catholic wedding, but his mother, who's Jewish, and him want to have a Jewish wedding. I mean, I admire the Jewish culture and Gerald's mother, but I really, really want a Catholic wedding. What do you think?"

By this point, we were in the library.

"I think I should stick to just making the dress," I said safely.

"Oh no, please! I want to know what you think! Jewish wedding or Catholic wedding?" Susan begged.

"I-I-" I didn't have time to answer.

"Susan, leave the seamstress alone," a young man walked into the room. He was handsome with olive skin, bright greenish gray eyes and chestnut colored hair. He looked part Italian or Greek or Spanish. He couldn't have been Susan's brother.

"Oh Sam! I didn't see you there," Susan exclaimed as she ran over to him and kissed his cheek. She turned to look at me. "Rose". She grabbed the boy's hand and led him towards me. "This is my younger brother, Sam. He just returned from Yale University! He came special for my wedding. He is studying over in Paris next year. Isn't that great?" Susan told me.

"Susan, come on..." Sam said embarrassingly.

"That sounds exciting. What are you studying?" I asked.

"Law and politics," Sam said.

"He wants to be a politician!" Susan told me. "Oh if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my dress design. Sam, keep Ms. Dawson entertained until I get back!"

After Susan left, Sam and I were alone.

"So a politician?" I asked.

"Its an idea. I'm not sure yet. There is just so much about this world I want to change," Sam said.

He walked over to the fire place and became playing with the clock above it and looking at it. It reminded me of the last time I saw Mr. Andrews on Titanic. I wanted to make conversation with Sam but I didn't want to see invasive. I did remember what Reginald told me and I remembered how Jack just jumped into conversation with me. Jack forgot I was rich and treated me as a person. I decided to try the same with Sam.

"What about the world do what changed?" I asked him.

He turned around and looked at me with awe eyes.

"I keep telling people and everyone think I am crazy. Or they don't care. Do you really care, or are you just trying to keep a wealthy airhead believe he is special?" Sam asked me in a confused yet serious tone. I was taken a back by his question. I had answer.

"No, I really want to know." He smiled at me.

"I want our society to change. I want women to have the right to vote. I want the poor to be fed. I want the average man to have anything he needs. I want immigrants to come here and feel accepted. My mother was an immigrant and a strong woman. She was too much for my father that way," Sam told me.

"Where did your mother come from?" I asked.

"Greece. Her father was Greek. Her mother was Spanish. Greece is controlled by the Ottoman Empire who forces Islam on the Greeks. My mother being a Greek Orthodox left and came here. She married my father, who was recently widowed when they met, and converted to Catholicism. She died giving birth to me," Sam told me.

I was shocked yet glad that he opened up to me.

"So you never met her?" I asked.

"No, but I wished I had. All I have of her is this gold locket with her picture in it. When I find the woman I'm meant to marry, I plan to give her this locket. It means the world to me," Sam explained.

"I'm sure you're mother would be proud of you. You know, with Yale and Paris and everything," I told him.

"I hope so, Rose. Thank you," Sam said and smiled at me.

Before our conversation could continue, Susan burst in the room.

"Alright I finally found it! I thought it was in my room, but its turns out I left it in the garden! Silly me," Susan told.

Sam walked over to the bookshelf and took a book. Susan grabbed my hand. "Rose, you and I will sit over here," Susan led me to couch by the fireplace and sat me down. "Now, here is the design!" Susan handed the paper to me and had me look over. As I looked at the design and listened to Susan talk about it, I couldn't help by notice Sam sitting in one of the chairs by himself. He peaked at me a few times and even smiled. Susan finally noticed this.

"Sam! Stop staring at Rose. Just sit there and read-," Susan stopped to see which book Sam was reading. "And read _Great Expectations_. Rose and I are busy, Greek boy," Susan told Sam.

"Have you read that book? I asked Susan.

"Me? Oh goodness no, sweety! I don't read books. Far too boring. Only Sam and our father actually waste their time reading books," Susan told me. "Have you?"

"I've always wanted too," I told her.

It took two hours to finally leave Susan and the Calvert house. By the time she got done telling me about the dress, the wedding and everything, Sam was asleep in the chair and I had almost fallen asleep a few times. As I left, Susan walked me out and Reginald pulled the car up.

"Oh Rose! Today was beautiful! I can't wait for the big day. I especially can't wait for my dress! I know you're going make it perfectly!" Susan told me. She kissed me on the cheek and watched as Reginald helped me into the car. As Reginald returned to the driver's seat, I saw Susan wave at me and I waved back. She skipped back into the house. She was crazy but very sweet.

"How did it go, Ms. Rose?" Reginald asked.

"Very well, Reginald. Thank you," I said.

"And the dress?"

"It was very pretty design. All white with beautiful lace, and flowers. It was gorgeous."

"Think you can make it?"

"I hope so, Reginald. I hope so."

Before Reginald drove the car off, I heard a knock at my window. I looked to see Sam's face. I rolled down the window.

"Rose," Sam said. "Here".

Sam passed me his copy of _Great Expectations. _

"Sam, I can't take this," I told him.

"I heard you wanted to read it. I've read it already. You'll like it, Rose. Besides, you need something to do while resting from making the dress. Please take it," Sam explained to me.

I thanked it him and gave Reginald permission to drive off. On the way back to the city, Reginald teased me.

"Who was that?" Reginald asked.

"That's Sam. Susan's brother."

"He's seems nice. Quite the looker too. Must have women knocking at his door."

"He's more than I pretty face. He wants to go into law and politics. He wants to change society," I told Reginald.

"Him and I both, Ms. Rose."

Once I returned home, Mary, Linda and Pearl were asleep. I crawled into bed, but couldn't sleep. I thought about Sam, and read half of the book that very night...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


End file.
